Removable feed nut for the cross-feed apparatus of milling machines



March 8, 1955 c, TREE v 2,703,498 REMOVABLE FEED NUT FOR THE CROSS-FEEDAPPARATUS OF MILLING MACHINES Filed Aug. 18, 1952 .44" )TQ- I III F 3. 8w 26 2- 'fi 2,

I5 l7////V/7 N 7. 2 d r INVENTOR CHARLES TREE ATTORNEYS REMOVABLE FEEDNUT FUR THE CROSS-FEED APPARATUS 93F MlLLlNG MAtIll-HNES (Iharles Tree,Racine, Wis.

Application August 13, 1952, Serial No. 304,961

1 Ciaim. 81. 74-4243) This invention appertains to a cross feedmechanism for the work table of a milling machine and more particularlyto a removable feed nut for the cross feed apparatus of the work tablesupport.

In a conventional type milling machine, the cross feed crank handle andadjusting screw is received in a bearing suitably supported by themilling machine knee. Heretofore, the adjusting screw passed through aninternally threaded feeding mechanism or projection which was eithercast solid with the cross feed support for the work table or was locatedon the extreme inner end thereof so that when it was desired to removethe cross feed apparatus, including its associated gear box and motor,it was also necessary to dismantle the feed screw, its crank handle,etc., and this naturally required a great deal of time and effort.

Therefore, the primary object of my invention is to provide a feed nutwhich is removably secured to the cross feed apparatus so that when itis desired to remove the gear box or cross feed mechanism for repairs,etc., it is only necessary to remove the bolts from the feed nut and thesame can be removed from the cross feed apparatus housing without thenecessity of dismantling the adjusting screw and crank mechanism fromthe knee.

Another object of my invention is to provide a removable feed nut havinga longitudinal internally threaded barrel body portion having alaterally extending bracket portion which may be bolted, preferably tothe rear wall of the cross feed housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical andreliable construction that is economical to manufacture, easy toassemble and positive in its operation.

With the above and other objects in view, which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a milling machinemore particularly illustrating a knee and cross feed mechanism for thework table;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and clearly showing theconstruction of my novel feed nut; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows and at the rear wall ofthe cross feed housing showing my removable feed nut attached thereto.certain parts being broken away to illustrate further details ofconstruction.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter M generally indicates a portion of a milling machine of atype now commonly found in the trade and hence, need not be described indetail. However, the same includes a column 5, havin a verticallyextending dove tail guide 6 on which is slidablv mounted the knee 7. Theknee 7 is adjusted vertically by worm means 8 and is firmly and slidablvsecured to the dove tail guide 6 by means of the gibs 9 and 10. Thisnovel nib arrangement forms no particular part of my present inventionand is more fully described in my co-pending application, Serial No.

ice

285,180, filed April 30, 1952 and entitled Gib for Knee of MillingMachine.

The upper portion of the knee 7 also carries a clove tail guide 11 towhich is slidably mounted the cross feed support 12 for the work table(not shown). The cross feed support 12 also carries removable gibs 13and 14 and it is to be noted that the cross feed housing 15 alsoincludes the gear or motor box 16 which depends from, and is carried by,one side of the cross feed support 12. The cross feed, motor and gearbox housings 15 and 16 respectively, are fastened to the cross feedsupport 12 by means of bolts 17 and slide back and' forth therewith. Thecross feed hand crank 18 is carried by the knee 7 in a bearingarrangement 19 and turning of the crank 18 will turn the adjusting screwfeed 20.

As previously pointed out, heretofore the feed screw 20 passes throughan internally threaded feed member which was cast integral with thecross feed housing 15. In accordance with the present invention however,I provide a novel removable cross feed nut 21 which includes anelongated internally threaded barrel portion 22 through which adjustingscrew 20 passes. One end of the barrel 22 has formed integral therewith,a laterally extending flat bracket 23 through which bolts 24 pass andare threadedly received in the rear wall 26 of the cross feed housing15. The end of the feed screw 20 is flattened at 27 and forms a stop andlimit for the rearward movement of the work table support 12.

It is obvious from the above, that by turning the crank handle 18 andadjusting screw 20 in one direction, the cross feed support 12 will bemoved forwardly and away from the column 5 and by turning the crankhandle 18 in the opposite direction, the support 12 will be movedinwardly toward the machine.

As explained, it is often times necessary to remove the cross feedhousing 15 and gear box 16 for repairs and in order to allow theapparatus to be removed as a unit, it is only necessary to remove thebolts 24 from the bracket 23 and rear wall 26 of the housing 15 so thatthe feed nut 21 will swing free on the screw 20. The bolts 17 may thenbe removed and the whole cross feed unit is freed from the machinewithout the necessity of dismantling the feed adjusting mechanism fromthe bearing 19. This will save a great deal of time and labor otherwisewasted. Obviously, when it is desired to remove the feed adjusting screwor other parts of the feed mechanism from the knee 7. this may also beaccomplished without the necessity of removing the entire cross feedhousing 15 and its associated gear box 16 as again the feed nut 21 maybe simply unbolted from the rear wall 26 of the cross feed housing 15.

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention, but what I claim as new is:

In combination with a cross feed mechanism for the work table of amilling machine. of the type having a vertically slidable knee carryinga cross feed sup ort and depending cross feed housing, of a removablefeed nut comprising an elongated internally threaded barrel body porti nand an inte ral laterallv extendin br cket at one end of said barrelortion. s id bracket bei provided wi h apertures. and mean fo remo ablvsecurin said bracket to the rear wall of the cross feed housing of themilling machine. said knee carrvinn a cr nk handle and adjustin screw.said ad usting screw bein threadedly received in the barrel portion ofsaid feed nut. whereby, the feed nut may be removed without the necessitof dismantling the adjusting screw and crank mechanism from the knee.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,565,709 Burgh Dec. 15, 1925 1,958,424 Gebhard May 15, 1934 2,230,716Curtis Feb. 4, 1941. 2,620,710 Gallirnore et a1 Dec. 9, 1952

